Sounds from Lalin’s Feira do Cocido

0.Introduction

As is said on the Spanish version of the wikipedia, on its page regarding Lalin’s Festa do cocido [ESWIKI-01]:

«Lalín stew is a typical speciality from the village of Lalín. It’s prepared using products obtained from pigs. Regarding this plate, a fair is done, called Festa do cocido (The fair of the stew), and the month in wich is celebrated, the month of the stew. There exists a protective order, the encomenda of the stew. Impelled by the town hall and by the Concellería of Economic Promotion, this culinary speciality is present in the International Fair of Tourism of Madrid and in many other contests of this type.

The origins of the Fair of the stew are dated on a meeting celebrated in 1968 by the majors of the councils in the Deza’s area. That meeting was organized in order to promote Deza’s gastronomical typical products. In 1999, it was declared as a Tourist interest Fair, by the Spanish government. The fair is complemented by a few festive activities such as dance parties and a parade of floats.

From January the 15 until February the 14, Lalin’s Town council arranges the month of the stew, in order to promote local HoReCa industry using the stew dish as the main conductor. The main slogan is «De San amaro a San Valentin, mes del cocido en Lalín» (From St. Amaro to St. Valentines, the mont of the stew in Lalín).

1.Getting ready for the Fair

Morning is waking up. From the first times in the morning, Charangas and bandas full fill Lalín’s soundscape with live musical sounds. Stranger’s cars start to arrive to the village on a February Sunday morning very different to any other Sunday Morning in Lalín.

A quarter to 11. It was a rainy night… At the church square the village is waking up (hangover?)… Some car, some people passing, the church praying its bells…

Before the parade, there’s a charanga playing for the festeiros. People talks and laughs, the things are coming up, it stopped raining a while ago and people are willing to enjoy the fair. Noise, noise and more noise… Noises from the day of the fair of the stew.

A quarter past 11. Fair, stew, carnival and party… That’s the fair of the stew. And in such a fair there must be charangas and the noises from the people… and the carnival songs… People having fun on a cold rainy Sunday morning.

2.At the fair

Half past 12. People at the fair… Music at the background. It’s a cold day, there’s people coughing… noise and more noise in the day of the stew, although it could be any fair at any Galician’s village.

Entering into the fair, people talks about their histories, about time, live, an all of that.

It’s almost 12 in the morning. At the bar stand on the fair, people drinks something while talks about the weather. Meanwhile, stand masters move pocillos and glasses from one place to another. In the background, music is played, traying to keep spirits high…

A quarter past twelve in the morning. At the fair stands people buy, sells, dodge, bargains… Goods come and go from one place to another… The tapes stands try to put people dancing, and the organizers committee stand there’s also music playing. Cheese vendors praying its merchandise. There’s also some vendor quitting water from its stand… Soundscapes from the stands at a fair on a party day at the beginning of the XXI century… Soundscapes that can be hardly heard outside modern Galicia country.

It’s half past twelve… Festival. And a Festival without bombs it’s not a Festival… And here they are. You could hear them perfectly clear: Direct sound coming from the explosions and the harmonic colored bounces combined with a high noticeable reverb effect. People go on as if nothing were happening.

3.Parading

A while ago it was half past twelve. Main road before the parade. People are waiting for the parade to start. They talk and tell histories. At the background, a charanga plays noise and cheers up people, traying to fright away the cold morning. Meanwhile, the PA System is playing Milladoiro, while waiting for the big bosses to come.

At last, the parade… People get its place trying to see something. They squeal, shout, call for they loved, and remark on the costumers… Presentator talks and the speakers repeat what he says, following what he sees… Comparsas parade with their costumers and music… carnival soundscapes from Galicia Country.

Carrozas’ Parade ath the Lalín’s fair of stew. People talks about what’s going on. Meanwhile a voice on the PA-system comments what you’re seeing. And what you see gets loud, very loud… Lots of loud, that’s for the fair. And the most listened word of the day: Umbrella.

Carroza’s parade at the fair of the stew… Carrozas and their charangas sing and play, and their sounds get mixed with the ones from the crowd which is watching the parade. There’s also a presentator talking through the PA system. Soundscapes from fairs at Galicians winter.

Carrozas’ Parade at Lalín’s Sambodromo 😉 the day of the fair ot the stew… The Comparsas pass while people talk and laugh. On the background, presentartor keeps broadcasting the event helped by the PA system.

Carroza’s parade at Lalin’s fair of stew… Carrozas making noise, people talking, and, briefing, soundscapes at a Galician country carnival…

This is not America. It’s Lalín. Although it looks like Missouri. A Carroza sounds very loud with the music from its show. People laugh at the Marilyn clones (pity of the picture 😉 Some voices try to fight against the noise. At the end, machinery from the cleaning services try to undo the disorder created: papers, confetti, and so… At the end, the parade is done, and the crowd disperses.

4.Farewell and close

It wasbeing time!!! The parade is gone, and now it’s time to go to the best restaurant you could find where to eat som stew. As it’s very cold outside, it’s for sure that it will be very confortable. People talking while they run toward somewhere. Gradually they disappear and the soundscapes becomes very quiet.

A1. References [ESWIKI-01]Wikipedia writers, ‘Cocido de Lalín’, Wikipedia, The free enciclopedia, January the 21, 2008, 12:34 UTC, <http://es.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cocido_de_Lal%C3%ADn&oldid=14506067> [accessed 20-7-2008]